Galeron and Shane Foley win the Goffs Million© Photo Healy Racing
Galeron stayed on best of all under Shane Foley to claim the Goffs Million for the UK visitors at the Curragh.
Trained in Lambourn by Charlie Hills, the 16-1 chance proved too strong for one of the main local hopes, Hellsing
The latter travelled strongly to the furlong pole and it looked only a case of how far once Colin Keane pressed the button. However, the son of Dandy Man could never get to the eventual winner, although he acquitted himself well by staying on to finish second.
The winner had fallen short in Group 2 company on a couple of occasions but found the drop into sales company to his liking as he plundered the main prize.
Hills said:- “It's fantastic and I'm so pleased for Leanne and Gary. They are new into the sport and they are very quick learners.
“The seem to have really embraced the sport and having a win like that is huge.”
The owner Gary Robinson said:- “That's absolutely amazing and we're really pleased.
“We bought this horse last year from Charlie. I'm pretty new to owning racehorses, about 18 months in, and I wanted a couple of Flat horses for the summer as I prefer jumps myself.
“Over half-term last year I was sat at Newbury having a pint with Charlie and we were looking at the horses he had. He said 'I've got his horse that qualifies for the Goffs Million', I didn't really understand what the Goffs Million was.
“We set out to run him here, we've run him here and this morning we were saying that anything better than ninth and it'll cover the cost of bringing him and actually he's won!
“I vaguely remember agreeing to take Charlie and his wife to Vegas if he won and that looks like it's going to happen now.
“What a race, I couldn't believe it and it's absolutely amazing. We were worried about the draw, worried about the ground but he's just done it. Me and my wife are elated.
“I think he was unlucky at Doncaster. I was hoping for a place and he came fourth, Frankie did well, and he was half a length behind the third.
“I think there will be a big party in Dublin tonight.
“The name of the horse is Galeron and we named him after myself, my wife Leanne and my daughter Ronnie. He's the first horse that we named.
“We've had winners before but nothing as big as this. We have a few jumps horses and a few Flat horses.
“I think the biggest win I had before was in a £25,000 race so we're talking different numbers now.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
